TERRY SHIAVO

I am astounded at what a circus this whole affair has become. A flatbed
truck drives around her hospital with a large replica of the two tablets of
the Ten Commandments and a working replica of the Liberty Bell. A man
walks around with an 8 ft foam spoon with a "Feed Terry" sign attached.
Bo Gritz tries to smuggle bread and water to her as a "symbolic gesture"
since she's incapable of eating or drinking on her own.

And Tom Delay in a cynical ploy to divert attention from his shady deals and
from Republican disarray over Social Security reconvenes Congrss to try to
step in and reverse the court decision to remove Terry's feeding tube. A memo
has been leaked that talks of how this will appeal to the Christian Conservatives
and Right to Life factions.

Is this an example of letting someone go to their Creator with dignity?

Do we want politicians stepping into these situations for their own purposes?

If this grandstand play succeeds can we expect more appeals for Congress to
overturn similiar court cases in the future? And if they decline to do for the next
case what they might do in this, will we be faced with the prospect of Congress
being sued for failing to intervene the next time?

It's wrong that Terry Schavo is brain dead. It's wrong that her husband's decision
to let her go in peace as she would have wished is being painted as murder. He
didn't walk in the day after her heart attack and asked to have all life support
removed. It was only after some time and when it became obvious that his wife
was never going to return to him that he arrived at the decision.

I feel for her parents, but they are unable to face the reality that their daughter
is reduced to this vegetative state and prolonging her life is only going to add to
her body's pain.

And it's wrong..horribly, disgustingly, wrong for Congress to use this issue as
a political football.

I hope there's enough members who will see that when they take the next vote
tonight.